The present invention relates to a game improvement system that provides the amateur golfer with feedback based on the player""s actual playing experiences compared to his handicap peer group. The present invention also relates to a device for recording a player""s playing skills in a round of golf.
The game of golf can be played for a lifetime, but should not take a lifetime to learn. An aid to learning the game is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the player""s game and track his performance over several rounds. Not only is it helpful for the player to know his own performance, but it is also helpful for him to know how he compares to his peer group. Knowing how he is performing relative to his own peer group and his lower peer group would give him a level of performance to which he can aspire to further improve his game. As the player""s knowledge and understanding of his game grows, his plan for improvement becomes more effective.
One way to learn and improve one""s game is to hire a club professional who would accompany the player during a round of golf to record the player""s score and stroke play and other important facts. However, employing such an individual could be expensive, which may act as deterrent to the player from taking lessons from a golf professional.
There are several prior art devices and systems that are available to help the amateur golf player to improve his game. However, these devices and systems can be cumbersome to use, especially those requiring some computer proficiency, thereby discouraging the player from consistently using them.
There is, therefore, a need for a golf playing system that will track a player""s performance over several rounds of golf throughout the year and compare his playing abilities with his peer group and the next lower peer group, be easy to use and not require an inordinate amount of time to learn and use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf improvement system that records the player""s performance on each hole and track his performance over several rounds.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf improvement system that compares a player""s performance over several rounds to his peer group.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a golf improvement system that provides a detailed report on the player""s playing skills, namely, driving, approaching, full wedge play, chipping and pitching, sand saving, putting, and penalty avoidance, relative to his peer group and the next lower peer group.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a golf improvement system that provides a report on the player""s playing skills to help him to understand course management, his strengths, the shots he has mastered and the ones he must learn.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a golf improvement system that uses a player score card that is relatively easy to use, requiring only that a mark, such as filling in a circle, be made on the card to make an entry against one of a few pre-printed questions in respect of each hole.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf improvement system that uses a player practice record form to keep track of the amount of time the player spends off the course practicing the game.
In summary, the present invention provides a golf improvement system, comprising a club and course registration form containing information about a course including par of each hole and distance from a tee to a green; a player score card for recording a round of golf played by the player on the course, the score card including a plurality of circles corresponding to each hole, each circle when filled in corresponding to a data entry concerning the hole being played; a computerized database containing information from the club and registration form, the player score card, and information on the player""s peer group; and a report generated by the computerized database and containing statistics on the player""s playing skills.
The present invention also provides a device for keeping record of a player""s playing ability during a round of golf, comprising a score card for recording a round of golf played by the player on a course. The score card includes a list of holes disposed along a vertical axis and a list of selectable data disposed along a horizontal axis; and a plurality of rows of circles, each row corresponding to each hole, each circle in the row corresponding to one of the selectable data such that a circle when filled in represents a data entry for the hole being played and the corresponding selectable data.
The present invention further provides a method for improving a player""s game of golf, comprising inputting data pertaining to a golf course into a computer database; recording information on a player""s several rounds of golf for each hole, including score, whether he reached fairway in regulation, distance to the green following a tee shot, type of shots made, distance of first putt, number of putts, and type of shot before first putt; inputting the information into a computerized database; and generating a report from the computerized database, the report containing statistics on the player""s playing skills.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.